Search resumes for missing man

November 16, 2013News Extra

Rescue units continued their search at Lake Arthur this morning for a missing Butler Township man.

Nicholas Sopel Jr., 62, of Lyndora was last seen early Wednesday morning.

Rescuers began searching for him Thursday afternoon, shortly after his family found his pickup truck parked on the side of Route 422, just west of the bridge near Moraine State Park.

State police and park officials organized a water, ground and air search but yielded no results by nightfall.

Dustin Drew, the park manager, said several crews continued the search throughout the day Friday.

The Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department used underwater sonar equipment to scan the about 12-foot-deep water under the bridge.

Butler County’s Team 300 water rescue unit covered searches on the surface of the water and the surrounding shorelines, while Portersville, Prospect, Unionville, Evans City, Harmony and Zelienople fire departments assisted in searching the nearby forest.

“We had a good balance of land and water,” Drew said. “Unfortunately, nothing was found.”